McLean, Va.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Foundation has partnered with Maritz Research to release results from its Future of Meetings (FOM) survey. The findings are divided into four white papers, one for each of the prominent themes of the survey.

The study found that there was an overlapping concentration on technology within the four primary focus areas and its emerging role from Web conferencing, to online meetings, to meetings design, to the increasing role of social media.

A bulk of respondents noted a problem with a ‘generation gap’ within the industry relating to technology. Younger professionals expect more technology options while older professionals did not put as much importance on the topic. This trend, among others, will affect the way hospitality professionals relate to different audiences.

Results from the study include strengths and weaknesses of the emerging role of technology in virtual and face-to-face meetings; new ways of thinking about meeting design; social media and its multi-faceted role and future expectation of venues.

Click here to download the study's findings.